Integrated circuit thermal management method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus, method, and system for providing thermal management for an integrated circuit includes a first metallic layer directly placed on a back surface of the integrated circuit. An integrated heat spreader with a substantially cap-like shape is placed over the integrated circuit, with an aperture of a ceiling wall of the integrated heat spreader exposing a back surface of the integrated circuit at least in part. The first metallic layer is directly placed on top of an exterior surface of the ceiling wall of the integrated heat spreader as well as the back surface of the integrated circuit.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed embodiments of the present invention relate to the field ofintegrated circuits, and more particularly to providing thermalmanagement for integrated circuits.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the advancement of integrated circuit technology, the number oftransistors within an integrated circuit has increased exponentially.This increased concentration of transistors has led to a super hot corewithin the integrated circuit die (die) during integrated circuitoperation. With this super hot core, good thermal management is crucialto prevent integrated circuit performance degradation. Typically,various thermal management techniques are employed to ensure that theintegrated circuit core temperature is maintained in an acceptablerange.

Often times, thermal management of the integrated circuit requires theuse of a thermal dissipation device, such as a heatsink to dissipateheat generated by the integrated circuit. A heatsink includes a mass ofmaterial thermally coupled to the integrated circuit to conduct thermalenergy away from the high-temperature region of the integrated circuitto a low-temperature region of the heatsink. The thermal energy can thenbe dissipated from a surface of the heatsink to the environmentsurrounding the heatsink primarily by convection.

An integrated heat spreader (IHS) is typically placed between theintegrated circuit and the heatsink. When two solids are placedtogether, in addition to their respective bulk thermal resistances,there will be thermal interfacial contact resistance between the solidsdue to the inherent irregularities of the contacting surfaces. For thisreason, a first layer of thermal interface material (TIM) is oftenplaced between the integrated heat spreader and the integrated circuitto better wet the interfaces to minimize thermal contact resistancebetween the integrated circuit and the integrated heat spreader.Likewise a second layer of thermal interface material is placed betweenthe integrated heat spreader and the heatsink. Unfortunately, no matterhow well the contact is, there will still be gaps in the interfaces. Thecurrent polymer-based and solder-based thermal interface materialtechnology is limited in its ability to meet the heat transfer needs ofthe ever advancing concentration of transistors in today's integratedcircuit.

One attempt to improve on the polymer-based and solder-based thermalinterface material technology is the development of thin die thin TIM(TDTT) with improved material bulk thermal conductivity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and notby way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, inwhich the like references indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an electronic assembly, inaccordance with some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1illustrating an example electronic assembly, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3-6 are cross sectional views taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1illustrating the example electronic assembly of FIG. 2 at various stagesof construction, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1illustrating another example electronic assembly, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 8-12 are cross sectional views taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1illustrating the example electronic assembly of FIG. 7 at various stagesof construction, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 13 system including an electronic assembly in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

An apparatus, method, and system for providing thermal management for anintegrated circuit is disclosed herein. In the following detaileddescription, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form apart hereof wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, andin which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in whichthe invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that otherembodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may bemade without departing from the scope of the embodiments of the presentinvention. It should also be noted that directions and references (e.g.,up, down, top, bottom, etc.) may be used to facilitate the discussion ofthe drawings and are not intended to restrict the application of theembodiments of this invention. Therefore, the following detaileddescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of theembodiments of the present invention is defined by the appended claimsand their equivalents.

FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of an electronic assembly 10 system, inaccordance with one embodiment. The electronic assembly 10 may include aheatsink 12 secured to a substrate 14. The heatsink 12 is positionedover an integrated circuit (not shown) and is in thermal contact withthe integrated circuit. A retention mechanism 16 secures the heatsink 12to the substrate 14. The heatsink 12 may include a base 18 and fins 20extending from the base 18. The heatsink 12 may be constructed of anysuitable thermally conductive materials, according to the requirementsof a particular application. Further, the heatsink 12 may be any knownor to-be-designed heat dissipation mechanism. In some embodiments of thepresent invention, the substrate 14 may be a printed circuit board.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example electronic assembly 10, in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention. A semiconductor package 22 maybe attached to the substrate 14 and may also be electronically joined tothe substrate 14. The semiconductor package 22 may include an integratedcircuit 24 having a back surface 26 formed thereon. The integratedcircuit 24 may be formed in a rectangular piece of semiconductormaterial called a chip or a die. Examples of the semiconductor materialinclude, but are not limited to silicon, silicon on sapphire, andgallium arsenide. In some embodiments of the present invention, theintegrated circuit 24 may be a processor. For example the integratedcircuit 24 may be a microprocessor.

In one embodiment, an integrated heat spreader 28 may be attached to thesubstrate 14. The integrated heat spreader 28 may be adapted to at mostpartially cover the integrated circuit 24. The integrated heat spreader28 may have a substantially cap-like shape, including a ceiling wall 30having an aperture 32 disposed thereon and an exterior surface 34. Theaperture 32 may be adapted to expose the back surface 26 of theintegrated circuit 24 at least in part. A plurality of side walls 36extends from the ceiling wall 30 to the substrate 14 to attach theintegrated heat spreader 28 to the substrate 14.

In one embodiment, the aperture 32 of the integrated heat spreader 28may be adapted to expose less than the entire back surface 26 of theintegrated circuit 24. The back surface 26 of the integrated circuit 24and the exterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall 30 of the integratedheat spreader 28 may be non-coplanar with respect to one another. Inthis position, the aperture 32 of the integrated heat spreader 28 may bepositioned above the back surface 26 of the integrated circuit 24.

The integrated heat spreader 28 may be formed of any suitable material,according to the requirements of the particular application. Examples ofmaterials suitable for forming the integrated heat spreader 28 include,but are not limited to copper or aluminum.

In one embodiment, a metallic layer 38 may be directly placed on theback surface 26 of the integrated circuit 24. The metallic layer 38 mayalso be directly placed on the exterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall30 of the integrated heat spreader 28. The metallic layer 38 may includea depressed center region 40. For example, in embodiments where the backsurface 26 of the integrated circuit 24 and the exterior surface 34 ofthe ceiling wall 30 of the integrated heat spreader 28 are non-coplanarwith respect to one another, the metallic layer 38 may have a depressedcenter region 40 at least partially located within the aperture 32 ofthe integrated heat spreader 28 and positioned above the back surface 26of the integrated circuit 24. In one embodiment, the heatsink 12 may bethermally coupled to the integrated circuit 24 via the metallic layer38.

The metallic layer 38 may be formed of any suitable material, accordingto the requirements of the particular application. Examples of materialssuitable for forming the metallic layer 38 include, but are not limitedto copper, nickel, gold or combinations thereof.

In one embodiment, a thermal interface material 41 may be deposited onthe metallic layer 38. The thermal interface material 41 is adapted todecrease the thermal resistance in the pathway from the integratedcircuit 24. Examples of types of thermal interface materials 41 include,but are not limited to, a thin layer of solder paste, phase-changematerials, thermal adhesives (e.g., a highly filled epoxy or acrylic),double-sided thermal tape, and thermal interface pads. In embodimentswhere thermal interface material 41 is deposited on the metallic layer38, the heatsink 12 contacts the thermal interface material 41. Theheatsink 12 may be thermally coupled to the integrated circuit 24 viathe metallic layer 38 as well as via the thermal interface material 41.

FIG. 3 illustrates the example electronic assembly 10 at a given stageof construction, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. The integrated circuit 24 may be attached to the substrate14. The integrated heat spreader 28 may be placed over the integratedcircuit 24. The aperture 32 of the ceiling wall 30 of the integratedheat spreader 28 may be adapted to expose the back surface 26 of theintegrated circuit 24 at least in part.

FIG. 4 illustrates the example electronic assembly 10 at a given stageof construction, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. The metallic layer 38 may include a first metallic layer 42placed directly on top of the back surface 26 of the integrated circuit24. The first metallic layer 42 may also be directly placed on theexterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall 30 of the integrated heatspreader 28. The placing of the first metallic layer 42 may compriseelectroless plating where, for example, a copper layer may be placed byelectroless plating. In embodiments where the back surface 26 of theintegrated circuit 24 and the exterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall 30of the integrated heat spreader 28 are non-coplanar with respect to oneanother, the first metallic layer 42 may have a depressed center region40.

FIG. 5 illustrates the example electronic assembly at a given stage ofconstruction, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.The metallic layer 38 may include a second metallic layer 44 placeddirectly on top of the first metallic layer 42. The first metallic layer42 may have a first thickness, with the second metallic layer 44 havinga second thickness that is thicker than the first thickness. The placingof the second metallic layer 44 may comprise electrolytic plating of acopper layer. In embodiments where the back surface 26 of the integratedcircuit 24 and the exterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall 30 of theintegrated heat spreader 28 are non-coplanar with respect to oneanother, the second metallic layer 44 may have a depressed center region40. Additionally, once the second metallic layer 44 is placed on top ofthe first metallic layer 42, the second metallic layer 44 may beflattened. For example, mechanical grinding or other processes may bepreformed on the second metallic layer 44 to reduce uneven featuresalong the second metallic layer 44.

FIG. 6 illustrates the example electronic assembly 10 at a given stageof construction, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. The metallic layer 38 may include a third metallic layer 46placed directly on top of the second metallic layer 44. The thirdmetallic layer 46 may be an anti-oxidation plating layer. Examples ofmaterials suitable for forming an anti-oxidation plating layer include,but are not limited to nickel. With reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 6, thethermal interface material 41, described in more detail above, may bedeposited on the third metallic layer 46 of the metallic layer 38.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example electronic assembly 10, in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention. The integrated heat spreader 28may be a dummy integrated heat spreader adapted to be placed over theintegrated circuit 24. The integrated heat spreader 28 may have asubstantially cap-like shape, including a ceiling wall 30 having anaperture 32 disposed thereon and an exterior surface 34. The aperture 32may be adapted to expose the entire back surface 26 of the integratedcircuit 24 in totality. A plurality of side walls 36 extends from theceiling wall 30 to the substrate 14 to attach the integrated heatspreader 28 to the substrate 14.

In one embodiment, the back surface 26 of the integrated circuit 24 andthe exterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall 30 of the integrated heatspreader 28 may be coplanar with respect to one another. In thisposition, the integrated circuit 24 may be positioned at least partiallywithin the aperture 32 of the integrated heat spreader 28.

In one embodiment, the metallic layer 38 may be directly placed on theback surface 26 of the integrated circuit 24. The metallic layer 38 mayalso be directly placed on the exterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall30 of the integrated heat spreader 28. The metallic layer 38 may besubstantially flat with no depression or depressed center region. Forexample, in embodiments where the back surface 26 of the integratedcircuit 24 and the exterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall 30 of theintegrated heat spreader 28 are coplanar with respect to one another,the metallic layer 38 may be substantially flat with no depression ordepressed center region.

FIG. 8 illustrates the example electronic assembly 10 at a given stageof construction, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. The integrated heat spreader 28 may be coupled to thesubstrate 14 with a sealant 48, formed of any suitable material,according to the requirements of the particular application. Variousembodiments may use a variety of techniques and/or materials to couplethe integrated heat spreader 28 and the substrate 14 to one another.

FIG. 9 illustrates the example electronic assembly 10 at a given stageof construction, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. A plugging material 50 may be applied to the aperture 32 ofthe integrated heat spreader 28. For example, plugging material 50 maybe applied to the back surface 26 of the integrated circuit 24 as wellas on the exterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall 30 of the integratedheat spreader 28 to fill in open space between the integrated circuit 24and the aperture 32 of the integrated heat spreader 28. Additionally,once the plugging material 50 is applied to the aperture 32, excessplugging material 50 may be removed. For example, mechanical cleaning orother processes may be preformed on the plugging material 50 to removeplugging material 50 from the back surface 26 of the integrated circuit24 as well as on the exterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall 30 of theintegrated heat spreader 28. The plugging material 50 may be formed ofany suitable material, according to the requirements of the particularapplication. Examples of materials suitable for forming the pluggingmaterial 50 include, but are not limited epoxy with silica filler or thelike.

FIG. 10 illustrates the example electronic assembly 10 at a given stageof construction, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. The metallic layer 38 may include a first metallic layer 42placed directly on top of the back surface 26 of the integrated circuit24. The first metallic layer 42 may also be directly placed on theexterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall 30 of the integrated heatspreader 28. The placing of the first metallic layer 42 may compriseelectroless plating where, for example, a copper layer may be placed byelectroless plating. In embodiments where the back surface 26 of theintegrated circuit 24 and the exterior surface 34 of the ceiling wall 30of the integrated heat spreader 28 are coplanar with respect to oneanother, the first metallic layer 42 may be substantially flat with nodepression or depressed center region.

FIG. 11 illustrates the example electronic assembly 10 at a given stageof construction, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. The metallic layer 38 may include a second metallic layer 44placed directly on top of the first metallic layer 42. The firstmetallic layer 42 may have a first thickness, with the second metalliclayer 44 having a second thickness that is thicker than the firstthickness. The placing of the second metallic layer 44 may compriseelectrolytic plating of a copper layer. In embodiments where the backsurface 26 of the integrated circuit 24 and the exterior surface 34 ofthe ceiling wall 30 of the integrated heat spreader 28 are coplanar withrespect to one another, the second metallic layer 44 may besubstantially flat with no depression or depressed center region.

FIG. 12 illustrates the example electronic assembly 10 at a given stageof construction, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. The metallic layer 38 may include a third metallic layer 46placed directly on top of the second metallic layer 44. The thirdmetallic layer 46 may be an anti-oxidation plating layer. Examples ofmaterials suitable for forming an anti-oxidation plating layer include,but are not limited to nickel. With reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 12, thethermal interface material 41, described in more detail above, may bedeposited on the third metallic layer 46 of the metallic layer 38. Theheatsink 12 may be thermally coupled to the integrated circuit 24 viathe metallic layer 38 as well as via the thermal interface material 41.

FIG. 13 illustrates a block diagram of one of many possible electronicsystems 60 in which embodiments of the present invention may be used.The electronic system 60 may utilize one or more embodiments of theelectronic assembly 10 described herein. As shown, the system 60includes a processor 62, such as an integrated circuit, and temporarymemory 64, such as SDRAM and DRAM, on high-speed bus 66. Voltageregulator 68 may be utilized to provide power to processor 62 via traces70. The high-speed bus 66 is connected through bus bridge 72 toinput/output (I/O) bus 74. I/O bus 74 connects permanent memory 76, suchas flash devices and mass storage device (e.g. fixed disk device), andI/O devices 78 to each other and bus bridge 72.

In various embodiments, system 60 may be a set-top box, a digitalcamera, a CD player, a DVD player, a wireless mobile phone, a tabletcomputing device, or a laptop computing device.

Some embodiments of the invention provide an advantage in that the needfor placing thermal interface material between the integrated heatspreader 28 and the integrated circuit 24 is eliminated. Thiselimination of the thermal interface material between the integratedheat spreader 28 and the integrated circuit 24 creates an improved heatspreading effect from the integrated circuit 24 to the integrated heatspreader 28. Further, in some embodiments the contact resistance betweenthe integrated circuit 24 and the integrated heat spreader 28 is reducedor eliminated.

Additionally, in some embodiments the use of the metallic layer 38creates an improved thermal dissipation as the metallic layer 38 may beformed of a material having better thermal conductivity than availablethermal interface materials. Further, some embodiments of the inventionprovide a reduction in the overall height required for the electronicassembly 10.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described hereinfor purposes of description of the preferred embodiment, it will beappreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a wide variety ofalternate and/or equivalent implementations calculated to achieve thesame purposes may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown anddescribed without departing from the scope of the present invention.Those with skill in the art will readily appreciate that the presentinvention may be implemented in a very wide variety of embodiments. Thisapplication is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of theembodiments discussed herein. Therefore, it is manifestly intended thatthis invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalentsthereof.

1. An apparatus comprising: a substrate; an integrated circuit having aback surface, the integrated circuit attached to the substrate; a firstmetallic layer directly placed on said back surface of the integratedcircuit; and a second metallic layer directly placed on said firstmetallic layer, wherein the first metallic layer comprises a first layerof a first thickness, and the second metallic layer comprises a secondlayer of a second thickness that is thicker than the first thickness. 2.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first layer of the first thicknesscomprises a first copper layer.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein thesecond layer of the second thickness comprises a second copper layer. 4.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises athird metallic layer directly placed on said second metallic layer. 5.The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first layer of a first thicknesscomprises a first copper layer, the second layer of the second thicknesscomprises a second copper layer, and the third metallic layer comprisesa nickel layer.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising anintegrated heat spreader adapted to at most partially cover theintegrated circuit, the integrated heat spreader having a substantiallycap-like shape, including a ceiling wall having an aperture disposedthereon exposing the back surface of the integrated circuit at least inpart, and a plurality of side walls extending from the ceiling wall tothe substrate, and the first metallic layer is also directly placed onan exterior surface of the ceiling wall of the integrated heat spreader.7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the aperture exposes less than theentire back surface of the integrated circuit, and the first metalliclayer has a depressed center region, the back surface of the integratedcircuit and the exterior surface of the ceiling wall of the integratedheat spreader being non-coplanar.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe apparatus further comprises a heatsink thermally coupled to theintegrated circuit via the first metallic layer.
 9. A system comprising:a substrate; a package including an integrated circuit having a backsurface, the package attached to the substrate; a first metallic layerdirectly placed on said back surface of the integrated circuit; a secondmetallic layer directly placed on said first metallic layer; a buscoupled to the package; and a memory storage coupled to the bus, whereinthe first metallic layer comprises a first layer of a first thickness,the second metallic layer comprises a second layer of a secondthickness, that is thicker than the first thickness.
 10. The system ofclaim 9, wherein integrated circuit is a microprocessor.
 11. The systemof claim 9, wherein the system is selected from the group consisting ofa set-top box, a digital camera, a CD player, a DVD player, a wirelessmobile phone, a tablet computing device, and a laptop computing device.12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a third metallic layerdirectly placed on said second metallic layer, wherein the first layerof the first thickness comprises a first copper layer, the second layerof the second thickness comprises a second copper layer, and the thirdmetallic layer comprises a nickel layer.
 13. The system of claim 9,further comprising an integrated heat spreader adapted to at mostpartially cover the integrated circuit, the integrated heat spreaderhaving a substantially cap-like shape, including a ceiling wall havingan aperture disposed thereon exposing the back surface of the integratedcircuit at least in part, and a plurality of side walls extending fromthe ceiling wall to the substrate, and the first metallic layer is alsodirectly placed on an exterior surface of the ceiling wall of theintegrated heat spreader.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein theaperture exposes less than the entire back surface of the integratedcircuit, and the first metallic layer has a depressed center region, theback surface of the integrated circuit and the exterior surface of theceiling wall of the integrated heat spreader being non-coplanar.